2Cecil HelmanThe Golden Toenails of Ambrosio P Situation: “Midnight. A locked door. The window sealed with a lattice of eyes. The tinkling Countess. The nimble massage of Ambrosio P. The shrill squawks of 400 hermaphrodites. The metamorphosis of the butler.” Resolution: The most peculiar story ever to grace the detective story genre.

9Xavier ForneretThe Diamond in the GrassForneret styled himself “Un homme noir, blanc de visage” a mystery on the verges of French Romanticism. This one brief text ensured his fame. Together with a related story by Charles Nodier, The Glow Worm.